Beatty Tritium Contamination

[hdqrs@worldnet.att.net]

NEWS FROM CONGRESSMAN GEORGE MILLER

7th District, CA Committee on Resources, Committee on Education and the
Workforce.
2205 Rayburn Building, Washington, D.C. 20515

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Daniel Weiss, James
Snyder
Monday, March 9, 1998 202/225-2095

USGS: BEATTY CONTAMINATION WORSE THAN THOUGHT
Report Raises Serious Questions About Ward Valley Safety, Miller Says

WASHINGTON -- A new study of tritium contamination surrounding the defunct
"low-level" nuclear waste site in Beatty, NV, raises serious questions about
the proposed Ward Valley site planned for southern California, Congressman
George Miller (D-Calif.) said today.

The new U.S. Geological Survey study released March 4 not only confirms
earlier surveys indicating that the Beatty site, closed in 1992, is the
source of increasing and significant offsite contaminations, but shows that
contamination is much more widespread than previously thought.

Beatty is important as a comparison site to Ward Valley due to their similar
geology. Miller, as senior Democrat of the House Resources Committee, has
opposed Ward Valley for several reasons, including the contamination near
the Beatty site, Ward Valley's high storage costs, and excess capacity for
low-level nuclear waste across the country.

Earlier USGS studies found contamination in a limited area near the dump.
Studies leading to the current report found offsite contamination AT EVERY
GRID POINT SURVEYED while confirming that contamination is approaching the
water table at deeper levels that previously measured. In addition, tritium
vapors were detected in the air above a creosote bush, presumably released
from vegetation absorbing the contaminants from the soil.

"This new evidence indicates that the contamination from the low-level waste
site is much more extensive than previously expected," said Miller.
"Scientists are unable to explain how and why the contamination has spread
in a dry, desert location presumed safe for low-level nuclear waste."

"The study confirms why the Interior Department was right to examine and
re-study the accuracy of earlier testing at Ward Valley. Despite the State
of California's assertion that there was no problem with the site, this new
research provides startling additional findings challenging the basic
premise that contamination does not spread at desert locations like Ward
Valley."

"Clearly, serious scientific questions remain to be answered before a
decision to transfer public land for that use can by made by the Secretary
of the Interior."
Save Ward Valley
107 F St.
Needles, CA 92363
ph. 760/326-6267
fax 760/326-6268
http://www.shundahai.org/SWVAction.html
http://earthrunner.com/savewardvalley
http://www.ctaz.com/~swv1
http://banwaste.envirolink.org
http://www.alphacdc.com/ien/wardvly4.html